Rolling mills of the type provided with a cooling bed and subsequent adjustment arrangements which include straightening and dividing means



June 2, 1964 K. J. NEUMANN 3,135,143

ROLLING MILLS OF THE TYPE PROVIDED WITH A COOLING BED AND SUBSEQUENT ADJUSTMENT ARRANGEMENTS WHICH INCLUDE STRAIGHTENING AND DIVIDING MEANS Filed March 24, 1961 F ii ir United States Patent I O 3,135,143 ROLLING MILLS OF THE TYPE PROVIDED WITH A COOLING BED AND SUBSEQUENT ADJUST- MENT ARRANGEMENTS WHICH INCLUDE STRAIGHTENING AND DIVIDING MEANS Karl Josef Neumann, Wallerfeldstrasse 2,

St. Ingbert, Saar, Germany Filed Mar. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 98,120 4 Claims. (Cl. 80--31.1)

The present invention relates to rolling mills, particularly rolling mills for medium grade or high grade iron of the type provided with a cooling bed and subsequent ad ustment arrangements which include straightening and dividing means.

In the art, it is frequently necessary to straighten the rod or product produced by the rolling mill or a product which must yet be subjected to a straightening procedure prior to its division or separation, that is, dividing the product into commercial lengths, only after the product has traversed the straightening assembly. Until the present invention, it was customary and necessary in such situations, to set up the shears or hot saw in the interval or space of the maximum rod length behind the straightenllong1 assembly, which in turn was located behind the cooling An important object of this invention is to overcome the objectionable characteristics existing in the art by the provision of means for decreasing the large interval or space necessary for the adjusting assembly in the over-all longitudinal dimensions of the rolling mill.

Viewing the invention broadly, it is directed to a rolling mill arrangement in which the discharge roller bed of the cooling assembly is constructed in a rearward extension thereof in the direction of the rolling mill, as a double roller bed, with such roller bed including two tracks, and reversible rollers with transfer means connecting the two tracks, and a multi-roll straightening machine located betweenthe roller bed extending alongside the cooling assembly and rearward extension, and shears and/ or a hot saw being associated with the tracks of the double roller bed for dividing or separating the product, with such shears and/or hot saw being located behind the cooling assembly.

The rearward extension for discharging of the products or rods which are directed during transporting toward the mill frame corresponds to the maximum lengths of the products or rods, and may extend alongside the mill frame. However, the same may also correspond to the length of a pre-cooling assembly or bed, so that an existing and required length of the total installation may be used for the discharge of the straightened product or rod. Thus, for the cost of a double arrangement of the roller bed provided with transfer means for passing by the straightening machine and for other purposes, it is possible to eliminate extensions of the building and the like.

In a known cooling bed arrangement, namely, German Patent No. 1,066,527, having a main cooling bed for conveying the product from the center towards both sides onto a discharge rolling bed associated with each side and which is fed by two pre-cooling beds of two tracks, the invention is particularly efiicacious. In such situation both discharge roller beds of the main cooling bed are extended rearwardly in accordance with the present invention. For the purpose of simplicity, the following description has reference to a double roller bed only.

One special shear is provided for each track of the double roller bed instead of, although it is possible, a single shear on one track, and slidably arranged to be operated on the other track. By virtue of the foregoing, and in connection with the possibility of conveying the product between the two roller bed tracks by transfer means, it is possible, in the event of a change in the operating cycle, to continue the rolling operation without any alteration or loss of time for changing the shears. It is always possible to effect a knife change of one of the shears during rolling, or the knives required following a change in the operating cycle are associated with the other shears. In addition to the two shears, a hot saw may be associated with the outer track of the double roller bed.

The multi-roll straightening machine is preferably located in line with the inner track of the roller bed adjacent the cooling assemblies, so as to be able to direct the product of the rolling mill rearwardly through the straightening machine, without the necessity of actuating the transfer means of the roller bed alongside the main cooling assembly.

If the reversible rollers of the double roller bed extend over both tracks which is possible within the scope of the invention, it is not feasible to feed a rod into the straightening machine, if simultaneously an already straightened rod is supposed to be conveyed on the outer track past the straightening machine and main cooling assembly to a shear. This is only possible when, in accordance with the invention, each track of the double roller bed is provided with independently driven reversible rollers. This reversibility is necessary only for the rollers of the inner track adjacent the main cooling assembly, so as to operate from both tracks of such roller bed directly, without a straightening procedure which is frequently unnecessary to one or the other shear or hot saw.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, and by reference to the attached drawing, in which drawing the single figure illustrates diagrammatically the invention.

The product produced by the rolling mill arrives either on rolling beds 1 or 2, respectively, and is directed to a pre-cooling bed 3. The products are directed from a discharge rolling bed 4 to a main cooling bed 5 while being distributed alternately to the right and left to the cooling surfaces thereof. Alongside the main cooling bed 5 are provided discharge roller beds 6, each bed including an inner track 6a and an outer track 6b. The product or rod may be moved by transfer means 7 comprising a series of movable transverse bars similar to those shown in US. Patent No. 1,337,194 to one or the other of such tracks.

It will be noted that the double roller beds 6 are extended rearwardly a somewhat greater distance than the maximum rod length to provide roller bed sections 8 alongside the frame, and each of the sections 8 includes inner tracks 8a, outer tracks 8b, and transfer means 9. It will be obvious that the space utilized for the pre-cooling bed 3 is used for the roller bed sections 8 which are necessary for the free running out of the material to be straightened.

Between the two roller beds 6 and 8, multi-roll straightening machines 10 are located, and such machines are preferably associated with the inner tracks 6a and 8a. Behind the main cooling bed 5 there is provided for each track, one cold pair of shears, 11 and 12, respectively, and a hot saw 13 is provided for each outer track 6b. Collecting troughs or receivers for the products, cut to the proper length, are indicated at 14, and scrap pieces or the like may be conveyed to a station further along the mill (not shown).

As previously mentioned, the present invention is particularly suitable for medium grade and fine grade iron, and offers the following possibilities of operation.

Rolling mill product sizes which reqiure no straightening may be conveyed over either track 6a or 6b to that one of the shears 11 or 12, or to the hot saw 13 which is suitable or adjusted for the size in question. Upon a change of the operating procedure which is possible, especially in connection with a cooling bed arrangement, as shown in German Patent No. 1,066,527 without interruption or time lag there is no time required for changing of the knives of the shears which may be necessary in some cases.

If the product must be straightened prior to being divided, this operation can also be accomplished without any time delay. In the first place, it is possible to change the rolls on the straightening machines 10, if the products leaving the mill have dimensions which do not require straightening. In the second place, the product may be conveyed over the track 6a provided with reversible rollers rearwardly into the straightening machine, and after discharge onto the track 8a, the product can be displaced transversely to track 8b, and thus led over track 6b to the shears 12. During this particular cycle, another product may have already been introduced into the straightening machines, if the tracks 6a and 6b have independently driven rollers, and if the rollers of track 6a are also reversible. This simultaneous operation, however, is not strictly necessary, and it is within the scope of the invention that the rollers extend over both tracks of the sections 6 and 8, and in such situation all of the rollers are reversible.

It is further possible to slide straightened rods running rearwardly on track 612 to the tracks 6a, if it is desired to set up shears 11, and that latter situation is only appropriate if the rhythm of the mill permits such operation because a new rod cannot be received by track 6a if there is is a rod to be sheared in shear 11. It is to be further understood that the straightening machines 10 may be associated with the outer tracks 6b and 8b, in lieu of the inner tracks, as illustrated in the drawing.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only, and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a rolling mill, a frame, a cooling bed adapted to receive products leaving the frame, at least one double roller bed extending alongside the cooling bed and having an extension disposed rearwardly in the direction of the frame, said double roller bed including two tracks and transfer means arranged transversely of the tracks, prod uct multi-roll straightening machines located between said roller bed and extension in alignment with one of said tracks, said roller bed having reversible rollers, and product dividing means operably associated with said tracks behind said cooling bed, said extension of said double roller bed being such as to allow straightening of the product rearwardly in the direction of the frame and to pass said straightening machine in the direction to said dividing means.

2. A rolling mill as claimed in claim 1, in which said tracks are arranged in parallelism and said product straightening machines are in alignment with the innermost of said tracks adjacent the cooling bed.

3. A rolling mill as claimed in claim 1, in which the rollers of said roller bed are independently driven rollers.

4. In a rolling mill, a frame, a cooling bed adapted to receive products leaving the frame, a double roller bed extending alongside each side of the cooling bed and having an extension disposed rearwardly in the direction of the frame, said double roller bed including inner and outer tracks, reversible rollers for the tracks and transfer means arranged transversely of the tracks for moving the product onto the desired track, product straightening machines located between said roller bed and extension in alignment with the inner track, shear means for each of said tracks and a hot saw for each outer track, said shears and saws being arranged behind said cooling bed and serving for dividing the products into proper lengths, said extension of said double roller bed being such as to allow straightening of the product rearwardly in the direction of the frame and to pass said straightening machine in the direction to said shear means and saw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,730,012 Lowy Oct. 1, 1929 1,826,360 Mazurie et al Oct. 6, 1931 

1. IN A ROLLING MILL, A FRAME, A COOLING BED ADAPTED TO RECEIVE PRODUCTS LEAVING THE FRAME, AT LEAST ONE DOUBLE ROLLER BED EXTENDING ALONGSIDE THE COOLING BED AND HAVING AN EXTENSION DISPOSED REARWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FRAME, SAID DOUBLE ROLLER BED INCLUDING TWO TRACKS AND TRANSFER MEANS ARRANGED TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRACKS, PRODUCT MULTI-ROLL STRAIGHTENING MACHINES LOCATED BETWEEN SAID ROLLER BED AND EXTENSION IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE OF SAID TRACKS, SAID ROLLER BED HAVING REVERSIBLE ROLLERS, AND PRODUCT DIVIDING MEANS OPERABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID TRACKS BEHIND SAID COOLING BED, SAID EXTENSION OF SAID DOUBLE ROLLER BED BEING SUCH AS TO ALLOW STRAIGHTENING OF THE PRODUCT REARWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FRAME AND TO PASS SAID STRAIGHTENING MACHINE IN THE DIRECTION TO SAID DIVIDING MEANS. 